Conventional heavy duty trucks have a large engine covering hood which tilts about a transverse pivot point located above the bumper to expose the engine for servicing. Although commonly made of lightweight materials, these hoods are nevertheless cumbersome to handle in part because of their heaviness and the relatively long moment arm between the center of gravity of the hood and the pivot axis. For example, the mass of the hood makes arresting its movement toward either the open or closed position a challenge.
A hood tilt assist mechanism is often disposed between the hood and a portion of the vehicle to slow the hood when it is moved into either the open or closed position. The hood tilt assist mechanism normally includes a counterbalancing device to control the movement of the hood, thereby assisting the user. The counterbalancing device may be an extension or compression spring, a cable, a shock-absorber, a gas spring, etc.
In addition to the hood tilt assist mechanism, the vehicle may also include an automatic locking device that secures the hood in the open position to prevent inadvertent closure of the hood and avoid injuring the operator. However, including a locking device separately from the hood tilt assist mechanism increases the number of assemblies within the truck. Moreover, many automatic lock designs include multiple moving parts, which increase assembly time and decreases production. Additionally, use of multiple moving parts within a lock causes the lock components to wear quickly and fail over time.
Thus, it is desired to provide a hood tilt assist mechanism having a simplified automatic locking system integrated therewithin.